As Palm Springs Modernism Week (Feb. 14-24) unfolds, thousands of enthusiasts sporting wide collars and a Rat Pack spirit will converge on the desert, party in iconic midcentury houses, and tour a veritable open-air museum of architectural treasures. They’ll also celebrate at a long list of private events, including three with a purpose higher than a raised cocktail glass:
1. Get into the groove at the Modernism Kick-Off at Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate (Feb. 14, 7-10 p.m.). E. Stewart Williams designed the house in 1947 for Frank and Nancy Sinatra. The Chairman later lived here with his next wife, Ava Gardner. Enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts and look for vintage designer furnishings and Sinatra’s original sound and recording system installed by Valentino Electronics in Hollywood. Tickets: $150
2. Seek your 15 minutes of fame at The Silver Factory (Feb. 16, 8-11 p.m.), the Palm Springs Modern Committee gala celebrating Andy Warhol’s famous studio. Dress as a Factory personality: Eddie Sedgwick, Ultra Violet, Candy Darling, the Sugar Plum Fairy, or Warhol himself. Help PS ModCom raise money to advocate, protect, and educate the community about its midcentury modern treasures. Tickets: $125
3. Project yourself into A Mad Men Evening (Feb. 21, 7-10 p.m.), the retro-themed annual fundraiser for Palm Springs Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Council. Take your cocktail attire cues from the hit AMC television series and party at the Stewart Williams-designed Santa Fe Savings and Loan building, which will reopen next year as the museum’s Architecture and Design Center. Tickets: $200 per person ($130 is tax deductible)
Information: www.modernismweek.com